Bill 29 2003

An Act to amend the
Public Inquiries Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1. Section 2 of the Public Inquiries Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Resolution of Assembly

(2) Any member of the Assembly may propose a resolution to set up an inquiry into a subject-matter described in subsection (3) if the member, no later than the time of proposing the resolution, lays before the Assembly a document containing the signatures of at least two-thirds of the members of the Assembly and indicating that they would like the Assembly to debate and vote on the resolution.

Subject-matter of inquiry

(3) The subject-matter of the inquiry must not be regulated by any special law and must concern,

(a) any matter connected with or affecting the good government of Ontario;

(b) the conduct of any part of the public business of Ontario or the administration of justice in Ontario; or

(c) any matter that the Assembly declares to be a matter of public concern.

Appointment of members

(4) The resolution shall designate the one or more persons who are to conduct the inquiry or shall require the Speaker of the Assembly or the Lieutenant Governor in Council, in accordance with the resolution, to appoint the one or more persons who are to conduct the inquiry.

Subject-matter of inquiry

(5) The resolution shall set out the subject-matter of the inquiry.

Vote on resolution

(6) The Assembly shall vote on the resolution within 60 sessional days after it is proposed.

Compliance with resolution

(7) If the resolution requires the Speaker of the Assembly or the Lieutenant Governor in Council, in accordance with the resolution, to appoint the one or more persons who are to conduct the inquiry, the Speaker or the Lieutenant Governor in Council, as the case may be, shall do so immediately after the Assembly adopts the resolution.

Commencement

2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3. The short title of this Act is the People's Access to the Facts Act, 2003.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Public Inquiries Act to allow any member of the Legislative Assembly to propose a resolution to set up an inquiry into any matter that the Act allows if the member tables a document signed by at least two-thirds of the members of the Assembly indicating that they want the Assembly to debate and vote on the resolution. The resolution either designates the one or more persons who are to conduct the inquiry or requires the Speaker of the Assembly or the Lieutenant Governor in Council to appoint them. The Assembly is required to vote on the resolution within 60 sessional days after it is proposed.